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Another railroad watch
Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 8:20 pm
by awalker1829
I’ve been doing a bit of collecting lately and here’s another watch of interest.
This watch is a private label Hamilton Grade 940 that was made for jeweler Andrew Krecker Jobe of Jackson, Tennessee. The watch dates to 1901.
This is the dial of the watch.
Here is a photo of a Ball Watch Company Grade 999A-based on the Hamilton Grade 940. Notice any similarities with the other dial?
The first one is very similar to the second AND THAT WAS INTENDED to be so. Andrew Krecker Jobe was a top dealer for the Ball Watch Company. Ball permitted only a select few of their top dealers to put the Trade Mark dial on their private label watches. Private label watches were made by all of the major watch manufacturers and sold under private brand names or jeweler’s names. The buyer could have their name put on the watch movement, dial or both. Movements were usually marked at no extra cost but dials were usually fifty cents or a dollar extra. The most desirable private label watches have marked movements and dials. There was usually a minimum order of five watches for private labels.
As it turned out, Jobe was an official watch inspector for both the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway and the Illinois Central Railroad. He had stores in Jackson, Tennessee and Water Valley, Mississippi. These towns were division points on the Illinois Central Railroad Water Valley Division. This was the railroad division that John Luther “Casey” Jones was assigned to from 1892 until early 1900 as a locomotive engineer. Jones and his family lived in Jackson during this period. He would have had his Waltham Grade 35 railroad watch inspected and serviced by Jobe’s shop.
Jobe died in 1906 at the age of 40 due to typhoid fever. His three sons were also taken ill with the fever but survived. One would later die while in training at an Army camp in 1918 of the flu.
Re: Another railroad watch
Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2023 1:56 am
by Junk Yard Dog
Re: Another railroad watch
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2023 2:15 pm
by ffuries
Cool, love how these old watches look and how damn accurate they are.
I've got a watch that belong to my moms great uncle. He was a Dutch Merchant Mariner, met him when I was a young kid, around age 4 or 5, he had a large sailing ship tattooed on his chest. My mom ended up with it, and I got it from her before she passed. Its been cleaned, serviced and oiled, but over time before I aquired it, one of the hands had been broken off.
Even with it on my being a 6 jewel watch, it keeps pretty good time.
what....?
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2023 6:11 pm
by tomaustin
" he had a large sailing ship tattooed on his chest. My mom ended up with it, and I got it from her before she passed"
Re: what....?
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2023 7:59 pm
by ffuries
tomaustin wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 6:11 pm
" he had a large sailing ship tattooed on his chest. My mom ended up with it, and I got it from her before she passed"
Should have changed the order......LOL mom and I ended up with the watch, he kept the tattoo.
Re: Another railroad watch
Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2023 3:07 pm
by tomaustin
having been around through a lengthy period of your health issues, you seem to be doing much better......
Re: Another railroad watch
Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2023 3:13 pm
by ffuries
tomaustin wrote: ↑Sat Jun 17, 2023 3:07 pm
having been around through a lengthy period of your health issues, you seem to be doing much better......
Meds have gotten the GERD under control, hoping the AFib incidents were anomalies, and I don't need another ablation done. After getting sick several times over a few months (Tested negative for COVID), but sick as a dog, I'm glad I'm over that. I'm glad to be up and around, going to gunshows, playing with my guns, amd back to posting on the forum.
Sciatica still gives me issues, more so now with using a wedge pillow for the GERD. I tend to have a minor case of sore throat, don't know if it's from snoring at night, or related to the Barrett's Esophagus.
Re: Another railroad watch
Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2023 5:19 pm
by ffuries
awalker1829 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 13, 2023 8:20 pm
I’ve been doing a bit of collecting lately and here’s another watch of interest.
This watch is a private label Hamilton Grade 940 that was made for jeweler Andrew Krecker Jobe of Jackson, Tennessee. The watch dates to 1901.
This is the dial of the watch.
Here is a photo of a Ball Watch Company Grade 999A-based on the Hamilton Grade 940. Notice any similarities with the other dial?
The first one is very similar to the second AND THAT WAS INTENDED to be so. Andrew Krecker Jobe was a top dealer for the Ball Watch Company. Ball permitted only a select few of their top dealers to put the Trade Mark dial on their private label watches. Private label watches were made by all of the major watch manufacturers and sold under private brand names or jeweler’s names. The buyer could have their name put on the watch movement, dial or both. Movements were usually marked at no extra cost but dials were usually fifty cents or a dollar extra. The most desirable private label watches have marked movements and dials. There was usually a minimum order of five watches for private labels.
As it turned out, Jobe was an official watch inspector for both the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway and the Illinois Central Railroad. He had stores in Jackson, Tennessee and Water Valley, Mississippi. These towns were division points on the Illinois Central Railroad Water Valley Division. This was the railroad division that John Luther “Casey” Jones was assigned to from 1892 until early 1900 as a locomotive engineer. Jones and his family lived in Jackson during this period. He would have had his Waltham Grade 35 railroad watch inspected and serviced by Jobe’s shop.
Jobe died in 1906 at the age of 40 due to typhoid fever. His three sons were also taken ill with the fever but survived. One would later die while in training at an Army camp in 1918 of the flu.
Back on topic....How hard is it to change out the hand on watch, if I find a replacement?
Re: Another railroad watch
Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2023 1:36 pm
by Junk Yard Dog
ffuries wrote: ↑Sat Jun 17, 2023 5:19 pm
Back on topic....How hard is it to change out the hand on watch, if I find a replacement?
There is a tool for this, hands are very delicate, the movement can be damaged if the hand is roughly removed.
Re: Another railroad watch
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 7:29 pm
by awalker1829
No kidding. I accidentally broke broke a pivot off the balance staff of a watch I was changing hands on. Sheared it off. Balance staffs are cheap-it’s paying the watchmaker to fit it that’s expensive. Pivots have to be polished and it has to be riveted to the balance wheel.
Re: Another railroad watch
Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2023 12:50 pm
by Laager
Those ar really nice looking pokey watches.
While I do like Railroad watches, I do not have any in my collection of pocket watches.
I do have several older watches starting from the late 1880’s.
Makes me want to branch out.
Re: Another railroad watch
Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2023 10:15 pm
by Ma Deuce
Hi I saw your post on old railroad watchs.And I got this watch not long ago from a family member. We are not sure if it is a railroad watch and thought maybe you could tell us what it was and if it was.And if it has any value.I do know it is very old and has been in the family for many years mostly my Grandmother then my mother . But anyway it has neat engraving and I think it is silver and I thought maybe you could enlighten us on if it belongs in the Kids toys
IMG_1029.JPG
or family airloom pile ,Deuce
Re: Another railroad watch
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2023 12:23 am
by Junk Yard Dog
The Locle case is Swiss, not sure who made the unmarked movement. Not likely to be worth a great deal of money, but priceless as a family heirloom. Not a US acceptable railroad watch as they had very strict standards for such.
Re: Another railroad watch
Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2023 6:58 pm
by Ma Deuce
thank you very much for the fast reply ! Deuce
